A Forest in the City

There’s a number of oddities in Minnesota, from our state having two major cities less than 12 miles apart, to having uniquely high and low temperatures throughout the year, to having a forest in the city, Theodore Wirth Regional Park. It’s located 4 miles from the downtown skyscrapers. Sometimes you don’t have to go very far to see something new, fun, and out of the ordinary.

I had been to the park before but yesterday my family decided to take the 15-minute drive to the park and walk around. It was fun to drive through our area, and we got to see a new building, and its where my sister skied in high school, so we had a little walk down memory lane, literally.

While there we visited the Eloise Butler Garden for the first time, it’s over 100 years old and has collected flora and fauna from all over the state. This is interesting because nowhere else can you see the same spread of plants. We all enjoyed seeing plants and flowers we didn’t recognize, as well as some that we did, such as our family favorite: aspen trees.

I’m trying to think more like a tourist as I consider the high possibility of moving out of my area in the next few months. Thinking about making a new place (feel like) home is daunting and exciting. Though I know I can always visit Minnesota if I end up living away long term. So, try the tourist thing in your town, it could help you better understand your area, and help you remember more about your area if you have to leave, plus its usually pretty fun.